The United States military is considering a ban (over 5-10 years) on cigarette smoking in the Armed Forces – Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force. We’re not talking designated no-smoking or smoking areas already in place – a total ban. Grandfathering in existing smokers would defeat the ban, so those who smoke would be forced not to smoke or face disciplinary action. Is a potential recruit now disqualified by being a smoker? Would this apply to off-base R&R? Will MP’s now be looking for smokers? Impracticality if not impossibility of enforcement indicate no – smoking off-base has to be exempt.
Let each individual in the military as well as each individual American decide whether he or she wishes to smoke. The deadly information is out there for all to see, hear and read. Those who choose to smoke in light of well publicized, frightening, fittingly grotesque warnings not to smoke are entitled to be foolish. That’s America, folks. Will those who choose not to smoke be slowly worn down by fellow soldiers smoking? Maybe, but that can happen anywhere.
Are we to take away smoking from those who lay their lives down every day for all of us in America? I mean – how petty is that? Picture a soldier going through nicotine withdrawal (even with the help of a patch) while on patrol in Afghanistan. Oh yeah – he’s going to be stable! One in 3 servicemen smoke compare to one in 5 in the general population. Does the military brass really want to ban what has become a relaxing, necessary vice, thus producing at least tens of thousands of nicotine-withdrawing military personnel? Does this also apply to CIA and other intelligence agencies serving with the armed forces? Is it not ironic that the final arbiter on the ban will be President Obama who himself has not kicked the nicotine habit.
I’d rather have 10 smoking soldiers guarding me and mine than 10 nicotine-withdrawing soldiers. Bet withdrawal will add to camaraderie among servicemen from privates to generals. How quickly will a black market develop for cigarettes, as well as schemes for evading the ban? What about sneaking out to off-base locations for a smoke? Guys going into combat can’t be worrying about nicotine withdrawal. Our men in uniform, daily laying down their lives for us and the country, should at least be allowed the choice of smoking. Smoker or not, I defy anyone not to agree with that balancing test.
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